Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2017 Feb;14(1):31-37.
doi: 10.1007/s11904-017-0348-x.

Faces of Frailty in Aging with HIV Infection

Marion Thurn  1 , Deborah R Gustafson  2
Affiliations
Review

Faces of Frailty in Aging with HIV Infection

Marion Thurn et al. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2017 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose of the review: The number of adults who are aging successfully and have HIV infection is increasing. More effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens are preventing individuals infected with HIV from reaching end stages of the HIV infection and developing AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). However, even at lower viral loads, chronic HIV infection appears to have consequences on aging processes, including the development of frailty.

Recent findings: Frailty is a term used to describe vulnerability in aging. Frailty indices such as the Fried Frailty Index (FFI), the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) Index, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D), an index of emotional frailty, associate with or predict clinical outcomes and death. However, even among existing frailty definitions, components require rigorous and consistent standardization. In the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), we have shown that frailty does not exist in isolation, even in midlife, and we use frailty to predict death. Frailty indices should be systematically used by health professionals to evaluate health and future risks for adverse events. Frailty prevention efforts, especially among those with HIV infection, appear to be essential for "successful aging" or aging without disability or loss of independence and may prevent HIV transmission. Taking care of elderly people is one of the major challenges of this century, and we must expect and be prepared for an increase in the number of aging adults, some of whom are patients with many co-morbidities and HIV infection.

Keywords: Assessment; Disabilities; Elderly; Frailty; HIV; Prevention.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

Marion Thurn and Deborah R. Gustafson have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Classification of elderly based on their health trajectory with aging. Adults living with HIV infection seem to follow the same path, albeit starting a lower level and declining at a faster rate than elderly without HIV infection, leading to earlier disability.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The faces of frailty
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. World Health Organization. World Report on Ageing and Health. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2015.
    1. World Health Organization. HIV/AIDS Fact Sheet. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2016.
    1. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control; Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention NCfHA, Viral Hepatitis, Sexual Transmitted Diseases and Tuberculosis Prevention, editor. HIV Among People Aged 50 and Over. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2016.
    1. Desquilbet L, Jacobson LP, Fried LP, et al. HIV-1 infection is associated with an earlier occurrence of a phenotype related to frailty. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2007;62(11):1279–86. - PubMed
    1. Desquilbet L, Margolick JB, Fried LP, et al. Relationship between a frailty-related phenotype and progressive deterioration of the immune system in HIV-infected men. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2009;50(3):299–306. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types